Jim Hillibish: Celebrate Sundays with hot-fudge sundaes

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Mar 20, 2014 at 11:46 AMMar 20, 2014 at 11:46 AM

By Jim HillibishMore Content Now

The hot-fudge sundae began as a celebration of ice cream and Sundays. Soda jerks of the late 1800s discovered that the combination of hot and cold was an irresistible temptation. To keep the treat special, they served them only on Sundays, usually to the after-church crowd.The first sundae, claimed by no less than a dozen cities, was heated chocolate syrup over vanilla ice cream. As the syrup melted, it created a perfect milkshake in the bottom. Somehow, the common chocolate syrup asumed the even more tempting name of “fudge.”Sundaes were a way to boost sales beyond the usual nickel dish of ice cream. The first doubled the price to a dime. By 2010, the world’s most-expensive sundae cost $1,000 at Serendipity Restaurant in New York City. It has 11 ingredients and is served in a baccarat Harcourt crystal goblet with an 18-carat gold spoon.After 1900, hot sundaes grew to a family of flavors:Double fudge: Twice as big.Turtle: Hot fudge and hot caramel sauces with toasted pecans.Butterscotch: Replacing chocolate with butterscotch syrup.Peanut butter: Replacing chocolate with a peanut putter emulsification.Black and white: Vanilla and chocolate scoops with chocolate sauce and a marshmallow topping.HOT SUNDAE TOPPINGS• Sliced fresh fruit, including bananas and pineapple• Sprinkles• Chopped nuts• Whipped cream• Maraschino cherriesJim Hillibish is a columnist at The Repository in Canton, Ohio. Reach him at jim.hillibish@cantonrep.com.